Nabil Fahmy: al-Quds issue is sensitive, relevant to peace in the ME

CAIRO – 5 December 2017: “The United States’ recognition of al-Quds as the capital of Israel is not only a fatal blow to future peace negations but also reiterates its biased stance,” said Former Egyptian Foreign Minister, Nabil Fahmy, on Tuesday.

Earlier, U.S. President Donald Trump announced that he is considering relocating the U.S. embassy to Jerusalem; his statement was condemned by the international community.

During a scientific conference held in Cairo on December 4, Nabil said, “President Trump is consistently trying to use the issue of al-Quds as a leverage to get the Palestinians to engage in the peace negotiations without adhering to the two-state solution, and also to show the Israeli some flexibility.”

The former Foreign Minister warned of the negative and wide-scaled consequences of such a move due to the importance of al-Quds to peace in the Middle East.

Delivering a speech to Permanent Representatives during a discussion session on developments affecting the status of Jerusalem and its legal and historical status on Tuesday, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States (LAS) Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that the decision will have negative consequences not only on Palestine, but also on the whole region.